Apparatus for  the destructive distillation oe solid bituminous



A, MfSMlTH APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF SOLIDBITUMINOUS MATERIALS Filed Dec. 21. 1921 @lef Patented Get. 5, 1926.

.ARTHUR M. SMITH, OE CLEVELANlJ HEIGHTS, OHIO.

A-PYIPARATUS 4FOR THE DESTBUCTIVE DISTILLATIO'N OF SOLID ITUMIN'OUSMATERIALS.

Application ledvIDecember 21, v1922'. Serial No. 608,168.

' This invention relates to 'improvements in apparatus forthedestructive distillation of solid., bituminous materials fsuch, Iforinstance 'as ,bituminous and zlignite coals, peat and Ishales, teproduce illuminante, watergas, coke, `tar-s, etc. One obj ect -of thisinvention is to lproduce apparatus offthe :character indicatedwherebythe destructive.,distillation of solid bituminous materials maybe effected more e-f'- iciently and more economically and with greaterfacility than heretofore.

f Another object yistoproduce apparatusof the -character ,indi catedwhereby the ydestructive distillation of solid bituminous material maybe attained inisuchamanner as to effect the product-ion, -froni-saidmaterial, of watergas or illuminating gas, as the case may be, ingreater quantity per measure of a given material belnfg treated, and-ofhigher quality, than' heretoforaandto produce coke of a high B. it. au.value and of a quality suitable for the `finest metallurgical processes.

dlVith -these objects in view, and to attain other objects hereinafterappearing, this invention consists in certainineritorious features ofconstruction, and combinations and relative larran'gemen'ts of vpart-s,hereinafter described in this specification, pointed Aout inthe claims,and `illust-rated in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings, Figure :liis anele-vation, largely .in lsection and,partly diagrammatic, of said apparatus. Fig. 2 i-s a vertical sectiontaken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicatedby the arrow. Fig. 3 isa horizontal section taken alongfthe line 3 3 inFig. 1, looking'downwardly.

To most successfully attain the hereinbe-l fore mentioned objects ,oflmy invention my improved apparatusfor-the destructive distillation ofsolid vbituminous materi al vpreferably comprises a Vretort having atreating chamber in which a body of said material is to be confined, acondenser, a Ypipe discharging at one end portion thereof into'thecondenser'andcommunicating at its other-end portion with the aforesaidchamber and are ranged to conduct vapors and gases to the condenser fromone-end portion of said chamber and also arranged Aexternally of saidchamber and condenser Vbetween said end portions of the pipe, a'condensate-re`A eeivingfchainberarranged toi-@crews seitdem sate andaccompanying 'uncondensed gases from the condenser, a passageway communicating with and at the upper portion of said condensate-receivingchamber and eX- tending Ato and around and endwise of the aforesaidpipe, means whereby gasesmay ybe washed in said passageway between saidpipe and the Icondensate-receiving chamber, a passageway discharging atthe opposite .end portion of and into the aforesaid treating chamber,means whereby gases conducted by the last-mentioned passageway maybeheated to vproduce a gaseous heating agent, and means whereby gases maybe forced into said last-mentioned passageway from the passageway firstmentioned in this paragraph. i

ln the hereinbefore mentioned drawings, 6 indicates a closed treatingchamber formed interiorly of a substantially vertical retort which ispreferably annular in cross-section, and A7 lindicates the surroundingwall of said chamber, and said wall is composed of a highly refractorymaterial such, yfor instance, as-carl'iorundum and 4surrounded by asteel shell 8. The topwall and bottoni of said chamber are respectivelyformed yby ydoors 9 and 10 constructed and 4applied in any -ap provedmanner. Said doors are shown in` their closed position, and eye-bolts 12and thumb-nuts 13 are employed for securing said doors in said position.`Each bolt `12 has its-eye pivotally connected, as at 15, to the shellS,and ihas its shank extending, in the operative position of the bolt,throne/'h al slot 16 in the'adjacent door and beyond vvthe outer side ofsait door, and the Inut llassociated with said bolt is threaded onto-said shank and adapted to Acooperate with said bolt in locking saiddoor in its closed posi.- tion, and obviously loosening of said nut inrelation -to said door renders said bolt free to `be swung voutwardlyfrom the door to permit openingfof thedoor. The top door 9 yisvertically pivoted, as at 17, te the surrounding wall ofthe chamber 6.and thebottom door v10 is pivotedhorizontally, as at 18, to the shell 8.The bottom door '10 is closed, if -net already closed, and secured inits closed position, preparatory to charging the chamber 6 withrmaterial to be treated in said chamber, and the top door 9 is opened,if not already open, preparatory to and to permit th-e feeding of saidmaterial into said chamber at the upper `end of the chamber, and closedand seesrsd ii'its closed position upon supplying said material to saidchamber, and when said material has been supplied to said chamber thedoors 9 and 1() are sealed in any approved manner' to render the jointslbetween the surrounding wall of said chamber and said doorsfluid-tight.

By the construction hereinbeiore described it will be observed that thetreating chamber 6 measures considerably more in dimensions verticallythan horizontally, and said treating chamber preferably lflares somewhattoward its lower extremity and has a height of about eighteen feet and amean diameter of about three tert.

indicates a body ot coal supplied to the treating chamber 6 andconsisting of e lumps or pieces and as ltlling said chamber Vso aboutthree quarters full. The treating chamber 6 is therefore shown ascontaining a substantially vertical column of vhydrocarbon-containingsolid or non-liquidV carhonaceous material convertible by lsuitablecaloric treatment into gases, coke and byproducts.

A pipe 21, yemployed in conducting vapors and gases from the treatinglchamber 6, communicates with said chamber at one side of' the upper endportion of the chamber and at a point spaced upwardly from the body ofcoal 26 and 'forms the 'fluid-outlet of said chamber. The pipe 21 isarranged, in the main, externally of the retort and discharges into theHuid-receiving upper end oit the upright worm 22 of a condenser shownarranged at one side of and spaced from the retort. Said condensercomprises a tank 23 containing said worm and kept supplied with coldwater 25 in any approved manner, and the lower end of'said worm formsthe outlet of the condenser tor the liquid or condensate resulting fromcondensation of vapors in said worm and discharges into the upperportion of a receiver or condensate-collecting chamber 26 which Vistherefore arranged to receive the condensate and accompanying`uncondensed gases Yfrom the condenser. A drain-pipe 27 is arranged todrain condensate from the condensate-collecting chamber 26 and has a4normally closed valve 23.

The condensate-collecting chamber 26 communicates, at its top or upperportion, with a short pipe 30 extending upwardly from said chamber andconnected, at its upper end, with the lower end of and communicatingwith a substantially vertical tubular metal shell 31i'orming a supportfor a water-conducting pipe 32 which extends into the chamber formedinternally of said shell and is provided, internally of said shell, witha sprayer 33. The water-conducting pipe has a normally closed valve 35externally of the shell 31, and said shell is provided internally,between the sprayer 33 and the pipe 30, with a plurality of verticallyspaced substantially horizontal baillemembers 36 relatively arranged asrequired to retard the movement of tluid internally and endwise of lsaidshell. The shell 31 is connected, at its upper end, to and communicateswith a short pipe 37 communieating with a T 33 formed on one end of asectional pipe 39 arranged above the condenser and aboveV andVexternally of the treating chamber 6, and said sectional pipe has aconsiderable portionv thereof surrounding and extending longitudinallyof and' considerably larger transversely than the pipe 21.` The jointsbetween the pipes 21 and 39, where the pipe 21 extends through portionsof the pipe 39, arerendered iiuidtight in any approved manner.The-sectional pipe 39 discharges into theiiuid-inlet 40 of a gas-pump 41operated in any approved manner. s

The fluid-outlet 42 of the pump 41 discharges into an upright sinuouspipe 43 4at the upper end of the pipe, and said'pipe is arrangedinternally or' the combustionchamber 45 of a heating furnace 46arrange-d at one side of and near the retort. T he sinuous pipe 43discharges, at its lower end, into a pipe 47 extending from within thecombustion-chamber 45 to the lower `end portion of `the retort andforming the fluidinlet lof the treating` chamber 6. The Walls ot thecombustion-chamber 45 are composed of highly refractory material, such,for instance,-as carborundum, and said chamber ias an outlet 48 at itsupper end for products ot' combustion.V Within the lower portion ot theVcombustion-chamber 45 is a heating burner 50 supplied with aninflamllt)- plates 53 extending toward and spaced from the other of saidwalls, and the pairs of baille-plates of each ott saidwalls arestaggeredin relation to and spaced from the pairs of baille-plates of the otherof said walls. the combustion-chamber 45 in such a manner, in relationto the baille-plates 53, as to extend between adjacent pairs ofbattleplates 53 of each of opposite battle-platesupporting walls of saidchamber.

The pump 41 is employed in forcing gases or fluid into the sinuouspipe'43 'from the sectional "pipe 39, and the last-mentioned pipe isprovided, between said pump and the pipe 21, with a valve 56 indicates apipe for supplying steam, and said pipe has two branches 57 and 58having normally closed valves 59 and 60 re- The .sinuous pipe 43 windswithinL spectiV-ely and communicating ther one with the fluid-outlet i2ofthe pump il and the other with the pipe i7 at a point between theheatingl furnace and the retort, and said pipe 47 is provided, betweenthe branchpipe 56 and the retort, with a pyrometer 61.

rlhe T 38 is in communication with a pipe 62 adapted'to be employed inconducting gas rto a gas-holder not shown. The gasconducting pipe 62 hasa valve 63 for interrupting connnunieation, when desired, through saidpipe, and said pipe is provided, between said valve and the T 38, with adiagrammatically illustrated checkvalve for preventing reflux of gasfrom said pipe into said 'l'.

Joints between component parts of the hereinbefore described apparatusare not only rendered Huid-tight wherever required but formed in such amanner as to withstand heat and .strains to which said parts may besubjected. Means for forming and sealing such joints are too well knownto require description and illustra-tion in this .s aeci'cation. Also,in making said component parts rsuch vmetal or material, as willwithstand the heat and wear and tear to which said parts may besubjected, is employed.

For treating coal by my improved process the operation of thehereinbefore described apparatus is as follows The bottom door lO of theretort is closed, if not already closed, and the top door 9 is opened,if not already open, to permit the feeding of coal at the last-mentioneddoor into the treating chamber 6, and enough coal is supplied to saidchamber to vfill said chain- A ber about three-quarters full `or towithin such a distance of the upper extremity of said chamber as toleave space enough, over the body of coal supplied to said chamber, forupward expansion of said body of coal during caloric treating ofthecoal. The valves 55 and 63 are opened, if not already open, and thefurnace 46 is operated in such a manner .that the sinuous pipe d3, andgases or fluid passing internally of and endwise through said pipe, areheated to and kept heated, as long as desired, at an adequately hightemperature such, for instance, as a temperature of from one thousand tothree thousand degrees Fahrenheit. It will be observed, therefore, thatthe sinuous pipe 4:3 forms an externally heated hollow .heating coil forheating gases or fluid passing internally and endwise lof and throughsaid coil. The pipe 21 and the condenser-worm 22 form a passagewayleading from the space nest above the column or body of coal 2O in thetreating chamber 6 to the upper portion of the condensate-collectingychamber 26. rlhe pipe 30, the sprayer-containing tubular member Si, thepipe and the sectional pipe forma passageway leading 4fromsaid portionof said condensate-collecting chamber to the -inlet l() of the pump Ll1,and the pipe 62 forms a gas-outlet for said passageway and is employedin conducting illuminating gas or water-gas, as the case may be, toagasholder not shown. The outlet i2 of the pump Lil, the heating coil .t3and the pipe l? form a passageway leading to the lower portion of thetreating chamber 6 and discharging directly into the lower end portionof the column or body of coal 2O` Qbviously air and gaseous fluid arecontained in said passageways and in the treating chamber 6 and in theinterstices of the body of coal 20, and the pump il is operated not onlyas required to create the desired suction in the pipe or fluid-outlet 2lof said chamber and so as to cause gases and vapors to pass at saidfluid-outlet from said chamberto the condenser-worin 22 and thencethrough the upper portion of the condensatecollecting chamber 26 intoand through the passageway comprising the pipe 30, tubular member 3l andsectional pipe 39 into the inlet l0 of the pump, but to force thedesired volume of gases or -fluid from the pipe 39 into and through thepassageway comprising the heating coil i3 and the pipe d? and into thelower portion of the treating chamber 6 and consequently into the lowerend portion of and upwardly through the column or body of coal 20.

It will b-e observed, therefore, that the `ases or fluid heated by andinternally of the heating coil i3 form a gaseous heating agent having anadequately high temperature such, for instance, as a temperature of fromone thousand to three thousand degrees Fahrenheit, that the column orbody of coal or material in the treating chamber 6 is caloricallytreated by the penetration thereof and the passage therethrough of saidgaseous heating agent, that vapors and gases are evolved from said bodyof material during the caloric treatment of said material by saidheating agent, that during the required operation of the pump il gasesand vapors are drawn from the treating chamberl at the fluid-outlet ofsaid chamber into the condenser-worm 22 and therein subjected to acondensing` temperature, that Lthe condensate formed in saidcondenser-worn'i is passed into the condensate-collecting chamber 26that also gases received by said condenser-worm from the aforesaidtreating` chamber and remaining uncondensed upon their subjection to theaforesaid condensing temperature pass into the condensate-collectinglchamber, that during the operation of the pump 4l uncondensed gases aredrawn from the condensatecollecting chamber 26 through the gas-outlet3() of said chamber into the sprayer-containing,` tubular shell 8l andare washed `by the operation of the sprayer 33 in any approved manner,'that the washed gases aredrargin first-mentioned passageway,

retort through the pipe 21 to the condenser 23, is the passing,externally of and next along said pipe, of a port-ion of the gases whichhave remained uncondensed during the subjection, to a. condensingtemperature in said condenser, of hot gases and vapors which have passedfrom the retort through said pipe. Also, during the operation of myimproved apparatus occurs the passage of some gases which have remaineduncon densed during their subjection to said conA densing temperature toa point adjacent the upper end portion of the retort and thence to thelower end portion of the retort, and it will be observed that saidgases, while feeding them to said lower end portion of the retert, aresubjected to the temperature required to produce the desired gaseousheating agent for calorically treating the body of material in theretort, and it will also be observed that by the hereinbefore describedrelative arrangement of the pipes Q1 and 39 occurs the transmission ofheat from hot vapors and gases in the pipe 2l to the uncondensed gasespassing through the pipe 39.

'What l claim is l. Apparatus for the .destructive distillation of solidbituminous materials, comprising a retort having a treating chamber inwhich a body of said material is to be confined, a condenser, a pipedischarging at one end portion thereof into the condenser andcommunicating at its other end portion with the aforesaid chamber andarranged to conduct vapors and gases to the condenser from one endportion of said chamber and also arranged externally of said chamber andcondenser between said end portions of the pipe, a condensate-receivingchamber arranged to receive condensate and accompanying uncondensedgases from the condenser, a passageway communicating with and at theupper portion of said condensatereceiving chamber and extending to` andaround and endwisevof the aforesaid pipe, means whereby gases may bewashed in said passageway between said pipe and the condensate-receivingchamber, a passageway discharging at the opposite end portion of andinto the aforesaid treating chamber, means whereby gases may be forcedinto the second-mentioned passageway from the and means whereby gasesconducted by the secondmentioned passageway may be heated to produce agaseous heating agent.

2. Apparatus for the destructive distillation of solid bituminousmaterials, comprising a retort having a treating chamber in which a bodyof said material is to be confined, acondenser, a pipe discharging atone end portion thereof into the condenser and communicating at itsother end portion with the aforesaid chamber and arranged to conductvapors and gases to the condenser from one end portion of said chamber,and also arranged externally of said chamber and condenser between saidend portions of the pipe a condensate-receiving chamber arranged toreceive the condensate and accompanying uncondensed gases from thecondenser, a passageway communicating with and at the upper portion ofsaid condensate-- receiving chamber and extending toand around andendwise of the aforesaid pipe and tothe second-mentioned end portion ofthe pipe, a passageway discharging at the opposite end portion of andinto the afore-A said treating chamber, means whereby gases may beforced into the second-mentioned passageway from the first-mentionedpassageway, and means whereby gases being conducted by thesecond-mentioned passageway may be heated to the temperature required toproduce the desired gaseous heating agent.

3. Apparatus for the destructive distillation of solid bituminousmaterials, comprising a retort having a treating chamber in which a bodyof said material is to be confined, a condenser, a pipe communicating atone end portion of and with said chamber and discharging into thecondenser, and arranged externally of said chamber and condenser betweenits end portions a passageway extending around and endwise of said pipeand adapted to receive gases subjected to and remaining uncondensed atthe condensing temperature in the condenser, a passageway discharging atthe opposite end portion of and into the aforesaid chamber, meanswhereby gases preheated in the firstmentioned passageway by heattransmitted from hot vapors and gases conducted by the aforesaid pipemay be forced from said first-mentioned passageway into thesecondmentioned passageway, and means whereby gases being conducted bysaid second-inentioned passageway may be heated to the temperaturerequired to produce the desired gaseous heating agent.

l-n testimony whereof I sign the foregoing specification this 18th dayof December, 1922.

ARTHUR M. SMITH.

